These every day dishes are regarded by the locals as normal as our steak and kidney pudding or fish and chips. I dug deeper and found this array of tasty snacks the Chinese folk have a yuen for.

I Find That Hard to Swallow

Here we are on holiday. We’ve travelled to Beijing
The folk are very friendly. We quickly settled in
But still I have an anxious prayer
Now that we are staying there
We have to eat the Chinese fayre
Miles away from home

A rickshaw ride to Wangfujing – the street of savoury snacks
Serves every stomach-churning bite. There’s nothing that it lacks
Red peppers placed on lungs of goat
With dog brain soup as table d’hote
Centipedes marching down your throat!
Miles away from home

Grilled brochettes of scorpion, I pray it’s just the head
There’s silkworms on a stick, for those who’ve lost the thread
Seahorses proudly placed on skewers
Are said to stop the droop of brewer’s
Transforming all the don’ts to doers
Miles away from home

Grilled snakes and vulture schnitzels, baby bees to make you burpy
Dung beetles and Iguana tails. Fried sparrows to keep you chirpy
Starfish fried in oil of shark
Grasshoppers? We’ll eat them in the dark
Snow frog ovaries? You’re having a lark!
We should’ve stayed at home.